Just when people thought Russell Wilson could not do more, he goes and proves them wrong again. In his three years at N.C. State the junior has accomplished many feats such as winning ACC quarterback of the year, throwing for 48 touchdowns including 31 this past season, setting the NCAA record for most completions without an interception, and hitting .267 in 59 games for the baseball team.
But Wilson continues to take on new challenges this baseball season as the quarterback/infielder now adds pitching to his already jam-packed athletic resume.
“Russell closed it for us Sunday and he came out and pitched today. He is going to get better,” coach Elliott Avent said. “This is the first time he has pitched since high school.”
Even though it has been over two years since Wilson has pitched in a game, Wilson is confident in himself and his ability to be effective at getting outs this season.
“I am just trying to get people out,” Wilson said. “I am very confident out there, that is my personality and is just who I am, and I like to have the ball in my hand.”
However, the transition back to pitching has not goes as smoothly as Wilson and the Pack wanted as Wilson blew the save Tuesday night against Campbell. He gave up three runs in the bottom of the ninth, allowing Campbell to tie the game at 8-8. But no matter the early struggles, coach Avent and the team have confidence in Wilson when he is on the mound and realize that he is only going to get better as the season goes on.
“Nothing bothers Russell, the only thing that bothers him is that he hasn’t been out there enough,” coach Avent said. “He is going to get better and better as he continues to roll out there. I was proud of the way he battled. We lost the lead but you would have never known it if you looked at Russell.”
The biggest plus Wilson brings to pitching is that he understands the mental side of the game. The junior realizes that he is not going to have his best stuff everyday and at times is going to get hit. But he knows how to move past it and understands that to be effective as a closer he cannot dwell on the past.
“You have good days and bad days personally, and you just have to move on to the next one, and that is the great thing about baseball. You just have to move on from it and forget about it,” Wilson said. “Going your way or not going your way, you have to stay focused on one thing at a time and focus on what you can control and just try to do your best and get it done.”
It may seem odd that after two seasons at N.C. State Wilson and the coaches are choosing now to utilize him as a pitcher, but Wilson says that it has just been a matter of timing and Wilson being healthy that have prohibited him from taking the mound before now.
“I am finally 100 percent healthy,” Wilson said. “My freshman year we had a really good staff and I was just trying to get a feel for things. Then my sophomore year I hurt my knee so I couldn’t get on the mound that much, but this year I want to get up there and get the ball in my hands and get people out.”
